What does impeachment mean and How it works in the US Constitution?
Impeachment in the United States is the process by which a legislature (usually in the form of the lower house) brings charges against a civil officer of government for crimes alleged to have been committed, analogous to the bringing of an indictment by a grand jury.
Impeachment may occur at the federal level or the state level. The federal House of Representatives can impeach federal officials, including the president or vice-president, with a simple majority of the House members present or such other criteria as the House adopts in accordance with Article One, Section 2, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution. Most state legislatures can impeach state officials, including the governor, in accordance with their respective state constitution.
Impeachment Definition:
The act of making a formal statement that a public official might be guilty of a serious offense in connection with his or her job, especially in the US:
- The federal judge faces impeachment.
- The investigation expanded and ultimately led to impeachment.
- Ohio lawmakers presided over several impeachments during the state’s infancy.
Donald Trump impeachment Update:
President Donald Trump has been impeached by the House days before leaving office, becoming the first American president to be impeached twice.
The previous three impeachments – those of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Trump – took months before a final vote, including investigations in the House and hearings. This time it only took a week after Trump encouraged a crowd of his supporters who attacked the US Capitol.
